News
News Release
August 30, 2011
Meals from the Heartland and Pioneer Hi-Bred Challenge Iowa Students to Feed the Hungry
DES MOINES, Iowa – In conjunction with the mass meal packaging event at Hy-Vee Hall, Meals from the Heartland (MftH) and Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, are challenging Iowa students to do what they can to help feed the world’s hungry. The Student Challenge 2011 is an educational leadership opportunity organized by MftH and sponsored by Pioneer to involve Iowa high school students in the fight against world hunger.
On Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 5:30 until 9 p.m., nearly 900 central Iowa high school students will gather at Hy-Vee Hall with the goal of packaging 400,000 meals to be distributed to local and national food pantries and shipped to countries in need. Music, food and entertainment are provided, and students have the opportunity to collect three volunteer service credits.
New this year is the Meals from the Heartland Youth Leadership Board, made up of select students from various high schools. The students have been working with Pioneer and MftH board and committee members to plan and promote the event.
“It’s important for young people like myself to get involved with Meals from the Heartland and volunteering in general,” said Scott Syroka, 17, a Johnston senior and chair of the Youth Advisory Board. “I chose to get involved because I wanted to be a part of something big that encompasses a truly astounding number of people, from the volunteers to the businesses and the recipients of the meals themselves.”
Pioneer first sponsored the Student Challenge in 2009 and re-committed in 2011 with a $40,000 donation to the event.
“Pioneer is deeply committed to supporting this important cause, to feed the hungry and help meet the increasing demand for food,” said Jeff Austin, Pioneer vice president, Strategy Planning. “The Student Challenge is a great event for Pioneer to sponsor. Through this effort, we encourage youth to get involved in their communities, develop leadership skills and pique an interest in science and related careers.”
All high schools and high school students are invited to participate. Information on how to register as a school group or individual is available at the MftH website: www.mealsfromtheheartland.org.
“Our goal is for the Student Challenge to grow into a year-round effort that not only provides leadership opportunities for students,” said Mark Aeilts, chair of the MftH board of directors, “but also brings education of global hunger into the schools, informs students of career opportunities, and encourages a life-long spirit of volunteerism.”
Meals from the Heartland is organized and staffed by volunteers and financed through monetary and in-kind donations. The 2011 Meals from the Heartland packaging event will take place August 31 – September 3 at Hy-Vee Hall.
Pioneer Hi-Bred (www.pioneer.com), a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success ™.
Meals from the Heartland (http://www.mealsfromtheheartland.org/) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization composed of volunteers who package meals year-around for delivery to starving people in Iowa, the United States and around the world. Individuals, businesses, schools, churches and various civic organizations have come together to show the nation and the world what people who truly care can accomplish.
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News Release
August 31, 2011
2011 Meals From The Heartland Annual Hunger Fight, Day 1: 1,026,432 Meals Packaged
DES MOINES, Iowa – Day one of a four-day venture of mass meal packaging by Iowans has produced 1,026,432 packaged meals on Wednesday. Meals from the Heartland, an Iowa-based non-profit, is occupying Hy-Vee Hall August 31-September 3 for volunteers to package a goal of 4 million meals for the world’s hungry.
Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., 3,501 volunteers flowed through Hy-Vee Hall, including more than 1,170 high school students, to package meals. Bags of Midwest-grown rice, Iowa-produced soy protein, dried vegetables and vitamin powder were sealed and boxed for shipment to hungry people in Iowa, New Mexico, Haiti, South Africa, and Kenya.
Local high school students participated in the Student Challenge, a special event sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred since 2009, focused on educating teens on the importance of volunteerism and helping those in need. Students packaged almost 400,000 meals from 5-9 p.m.
For the first time in its four-year history, Meals from the Heartland has filled all of its volunteer packaging slots for the four days. The organizers still need Host Volunteers, who help supervise tables, keep raw materials stocked, help with registration and work on the docks. To pay for the materials and transportation of 4 million meals, the organization still needs $42,000 in donations. For more information, to register as a Host Volunteer or donate, visit www.MealsfromtheHeartland.org.
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News Release
September 1, 2011
Meals From The Heartland Day 2: 2,395,008 Meals Packaged
DES MOINES, Iowa – Days one and two of Meals from the Heartland, a mass meal-packaging effort by thousands of Iowa volunteers, have resulted in a total of 2,395,008 meals for the world’s hungry. Packagers were surprised Thursday night by the appearance of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who packaged alongside a family to produce the organization’s 20 millionth meal since the organization started packaging meals in 2008.
Meals from the Heartland, a volunteer-run, non-profit organization, is occupying Hy-Vee Hall August 31 to September 3 with the goal of packaging 4 million meals to be provided to the hungry around the globe.
More than 7000 volunteers have filed through Hy-Vee Hall since Wednesday for two-hour packaging shifts. Bags of rice, soy, dried vegetables and vitamin powder were sealed and boxed for distribution around Iowa and to places like New Mexico, South Africa, Haiti and Kenya.
While the organization has filled all available packaging shifts, Meals from the Heartland is still asking for Host Volunteers and donations to help meet the four-million meal goal.
For more information about Meals from the Heartland, to register as a Host Volunteer or to donate, please visit www.MealsfromtheHeartland.org.
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News Release
September 2, 2011
Meals From The Heartland Day 3: 3,407,184 Meals Packaged
DES MOINES, Iowa – Day three of the mass-meal packaging effort by Meals from the Heartland has ended with a total of 3,407,184 meals packaged. One more day remains for volunteer packagers to hit the goal of 4 million meals. Today, a total of 3272 volunteers filed through Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
Meals from the Heartland, a volunteer-run, non-profit organization, is occupying Hy-Vee Hall August 31 to September 3 with the goal of packaging 4 million meals to be provided to the hungry around the globe.
Tomorrow marks the last day of 2011 event. By 5 p.m., the organization hopes to have hit its goal of packaging 4 million meals. Bags of rice, soy, dried vegetables and vitamin powder are sealed and boxed for distribution around Iowa and to places like New Mexico, South Africa, Haiti and Kenya.
For the first time in four years, Meals from the Heartland has filled all volunteer packaging and host positions for the entire event.
For more information about Meals from the Heartland or to donate, please visit www.MealsfromtheHeartland.org.
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News Release
September 3, 2011
Meals from the Heartland Day 4: More Than 4.2 Million Meals Packaged
DES MOINES, Iowa – Thousands of volunteers from across Iowa, and even the country, came together this week to take part in the nation’s largest volunteer food packaging event of the year. By the end of the event Saturday, 4,214,592 meals were packaged over four days by a total of 13,602 volunteers.
From August 31 through September 3, volunteers gathered at Hy-Vee Hall for the 2011 Meals from the Heartland Annual Hunger Fight. The meals packaged during the event will be provided to malnourished and starving people in Iowa, New Mexico, Haiti, South Africa and Kenya.
Despite recent less-than-favorable economic conditions, Iowans donated enough to fund the packaging and transport of more than 4 million meals through online and on-site donations up until the last minute of packaging.
Highlights of the event:
- On the opening night of the event, more than 1,700 Central Iowa high school students packaged 441,936 meals during the “Student Challenge,” sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and his wife stopped by the event Thursday night to help package the 20 millionth meal since the organization started the annual events in 2008.
- 2011 marked the first year the organization filled all available volunteer positions.
- Meals from the Heartland has evolved into a year-round effort with Mobile Hunger Fight opportunities available outside of the annual event.
For more information about Meals from the Heartland or to donate, please visit www.MealsfromtheHeartland.org.
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Meals from the Heartland is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization composed of volunteers who package meals for delivery to starving people around the world. Individuals, businesses, schools, churches and various civic organizations have come together to show the nation and the world what people who truly care can accomplish. 
